by -Matt Cexwish-

Hi Di Ho!

Dear Jungle Critters, it has been a while... Just want to let you know that I started to sculpt something after a somewhat inspiring meeting with JAG (Jacques - Alexandre Gillois) and Thomas (Thomas David) in Monte some time ago... :)...

As Winter is knocking on our Window (putting the Jungle into it´s seasonal hybernation) the Topic I chose is a kind of Memento Mori. I don´t really know yet what exactly it will be working on, but I will post Work In Progress Pics every now and then... I will use Super Sculpey applied to a 3D printed Skeleton Armature and hope to make some small Tutorials as I learn more about it´s properties... Experimenting a lot with Textures, Stamps, Paper, Fabric, Sand... Lovin´ it so far! It was my long time Goal to start Sculpting more seriously, so I hope you will like this Series and learn something useful, too...;)... Hope it will not turn out too creepy, hehe...:D...

Actually, I can already say what some said to be one of the biggest "disadvantages" came out to be a great opportunity: As you might know there are different 3D printing techniques (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing)... The Printers I have easily access to at the moment is a Selective laser sinter (SLS Thermoplastics) and a inkjet head 3d Printer (Plaster-based 3D printing PP)... Both produce a pretty rough surface, said not to be too good for our special needs... I found the rough surface great to work with as the Super Sculpey Base Volumes stick greatly to the rough surface of the Bones... The first step is to apply the Muscle Tissue and leave some of the bones exposed as the final character will be very skinny (nearly starved after all...^-^...)... One interesting point will be to see if the Armature can stand the 130 °C I will need to make the Super Sculpey set (but as the laser heats the Powder to around 1000 °C, it should be fine...)... After that, I can still file some of the bones down a bit to make them more smooth... Also, the Skeleton is the result of a real CT Scan... I doubt you will be able to find a more precise Sculpting Armature on the Market then this...;)... I can imagine that one would like to use some modified armatures for more weird, crooked characters later (also to emphasize certain traits and volumes that fit the character... I don´t want to end up sculpting 100% true to nature as I barely see perfect, "natural" things in reality...^-^...), but for the beginning this is perfectly fine...

In addition: Sculpting varies strongly from the way I paint... It is way more meditative, takes way more time and -with the right putty that won´t create pressure by drying out all the time- is very relaxing... It´s very important to work from reference as we all know our own Human Anatomy quite well... You can sculpt a Gun in a Billion different ways (coud be like this, or like this... or like this...), but if there is one thing slightly "off" in a Human face, everyone will be able to tell in a Second ("that looks weird"...)... It is as if we are programmed genetically to see that there´s something "wrong", although I am deeply fascinated and interested in the crooked, the misfigured, the weird (in a good way... obviously, it is a abyss you will be staring in sometimes and it´s important not to fall in...)...

I wish I had access to a 3d-printer. :p My anatomy is quite off. All the time. :p Also, you already know this, but you can boil super sculpey in water, for a couple of minutes, it will harden just as effectively as when you bake it in an owen. And then you only have to worry about the armature surviving 100 °C. :D

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... MASSIVE VOODOO’s jungle, where some apes share their thoughts and ideas around their beloved passion, the hobby of miniature painting and sculpting.

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